Training Obligations [Cordin/Rasp/Lark/OPEN]

[saxifrage]

((Continied from cometolora.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=salamandastron&action=display&thread=2800 ))

Saxifrage led the way into the training hall ahead of Cordin and the three youngsters, looking about the empty area with satisfaction.

"Weel noo, looks loch we've got th' place tae oorselves. Nae 'at Ah min' a guid brawl, but if we're tae see hoo ye shape up...."

The huge hare grinned, glancing over the youngsters' heads to grin at the corporal. On the way down, Saxifrage had retrieved his big sword (and Heartsease her spear); he unsheathed it now, giving it an experimental swing.

"Ah fancy myself a swordbeest, but none better wi' yer big fightin' sticks than Cordin here. Naethin' wrong wi' both ay coorse, wee Heart's bin playin' at two-pawed blades lately. But let's see hoo ye two swin' a halberd, mebbe pit ye against our wee battle bunny, eh?"

Heartsease bounced from one footpaw to the other in anticipation, eyes bright as she shifted her grip on her spear. The little maid had quickly learned that she absolutely adored the exhiliration of a good spar; the learning opportunity was attractive too! As Saxifrage stopped speaking she bounded clear of the group with a quick leap, landing in a readied stance with her spear leveled at Rasp.

"All right, you heard the Colour Sergeant - let's see what you came with!" She giggled mischievously, ears twitching cheekily at the bigger recruit; the rabbitmaid's good humor seemed fully restored.

"Of course, if you battle as well as you banter... well then, you're in trouble, aren't you?"

[Romulus]

Never one to let appearances remain unkempt, Corporal Cordin Dorchester had straightened his fur and smoothed out his uniform best he could on the way to the Training Hall. That lunch brawl had, however, left him with more souvenirs than a few stray hairs and wrinkles. Oh, well. Signs of a good time, those bruises. Halberd leaning in the crook of one elbow, the buck placed a paw on one hip and gave a half smile, the picture of confidence. As usual.

The excitement emanating from young Heartsease and the twins was potent enough to bleed over onto Cordin. His smile widened as the rabbitmaid put forth a clear challenge to Rasp and Lark. "I dare say bloody banter belies the brains behind it," he cut in, pointing the spear-tipped end of his halberd at the twins. "I'd be bolly worried, if I were you two." He winked.

"First order o' business," he barked, voice harsh. But he was really just mocking the senior officers' stern tone during training. "When dealin' with a flamin' halberd, one must keep the business end as far from the body as possible, wot? Sounds like common sense, aye, but 'tis a defense technique. The further you can bloody well keep yore blade out, the further yore enemies have t'blinkin' back off. This keeps ye out o' their ravenous reach whilst allowin' ye t'hack 'n' slash t'yore 'eart's content." He dropped into a typical halberd-bearer stance, which did not differ much from Heart's spear-bearer one.

The corporal raised an eyebrow at the twins' lack of immediate response. "Well, don't jus' bloody stan' there with yore ears limp," he commanded. "Yank the bloomin' lead out'n yore pockets an' show me yore stance." He was thoroughly enjoying this. It was rare he got one-on-one (or, rather, one-on-three) training sessions with cadets. For him, it was simply another opportunity to hone his own skills.

[tenor]

Both twins had been amused up to this point, though Lark had noticed his twin seemed just slightly distracted with Heartsease's bounding energy. The Corporal hadn't been the only one roughed a up from the good brawl earlier, though the boys did not seemed too bothered by it. Rasp did notice int heir trip, halberd over his shoulder, that the Corporal had been fussing a bit about his appearance and, when he figured he'd not be noticed at least, he did mimic the gesture - after all, if the maid's attention was for him, he was the one he'd have to compare to, right?

Lark gave a haughty laugh at the retort of their banter, and had been ready to comment back when the Coporal began to use a sergeant's voice. While not enough to snap them into any full attention, the boys did respect enough to watch the elder Hare while he explained, halberd's lax over their shoulders each.

"Well, don't jus' bloody stan' there with yore ears limp," he commanded. "Yank the bloomin' lead out'n yore pockets an' show me yore stance."

Rasp jumped a bit, and laughed, bouncing away from his twin to get a little bit of distance to work with. Lark didn't move as both dropped into a stance. One thing stuck out immediately from the two so readily to do the same thing - they were not same-handed with Lark being right handed it seemed, and Rasp left handed.

"Yor get'n it wrong, Rasp," Lark joked, grinning at his twin a moment as he noticed the handling of his brother's halberd was different compared to the others.

Rasp's ears twitched at that, shooting a glare to his twin. "Will ye shut it afor Ah burst ye wi' it?" Not that bad of a thing but certainly one of the steady things the twins often mocked each other for it seemed.

((I couldn't find if Cordin was right or left so I assumed. if I'm wrong lemme know and I'll fix it. ^^))

[nikki]

"When dealin' with a flamin' halberd, one must keep the business end as far from the body as possible, wot?"

"And same thing with the non-flaming sort, right?"

Heastsease couldn't quite bite back the reply, though she looked positively mortified as soon as she realized she'd said it aloud - blush evident in the blood-suffused pink of her nose and ears and not helped by a snort from Saxifrage. The big hare cuffed her lightly between the ears, shaking his head as his whiskers shivered from a suppressed grin.

"Min' yer manners, ye cheeky wee smidgen."

"Yes sir, Sergeant sir!" The rabbit gave the reply in appropriate military fashion, saluting with her spear as she did, and listened to the rest of Cordin's speech with due attention. As soon as Cordin dropped into stance she did so as well, watching the hare twins closely. Hm, opposite-handed - might be a way to tell them apart.

"Yor get'n it wrong, Rasp."

"Will ye shut it afor Ah burst ye wi' it?"

"Noo arenae we th' toochy bauld buck?"

Saxifrage chuckled as he watched the two. Cordin could deal wit any stance corrections; Saxifrage instead turned his attention to the banter.

"Some ay th' most deadly beasts i've knoon hae bin left-pawed, mah bairns. Moreso, there's a difference in defendin' against it e'en if a small one - mair wi' one-pawed weapons, true, but e'en sae. Ah suggest sparrin' left-pawed partners when ye can, be prepared an' aw 'at, an' learn a little abit fightin' wi' yer own aff paw. Otherwise, where are ye if th' guid paw's hurt?"

He grinned, pacing back a bit as he sized the three up.

"As tae our dashin' sandy corporal's advice, aam sure yoo'll aw agree yoo'll hae a bad day if Ah gie ye in mah paws - mony a vermin's hud a bad lest day 'at way." Saxifrage considered this a moment longer. "Coorse nane ay ye are full size. Except mebbe heart, dornt ken hoo big bunnies gie. But ye horrid hares micht be as big as me, an' ye'll all be terrors whether big or wee, sae let's whip ye intae it. Och aye, an' learn ye moldy mirrors hoo tae control th' strength yoo'll have if ye dae grow sae big. Heart, yer tactics'll be different due tae size, but dornt worry - we'll tak' care of ye sae ye can tak' care of some guid auld foebeasts any way it suits ye."

He turned to Cordin then, spreading his paws.

"Weel mah friend, shaa we whip 'em roon th' hall, or lit 'em whip each other?"

[Romulus]

"Left-bolly-pawed, ye say?" Cordin grinned. Switching his stance, the corporal tossed his halberd from his right paw to his left. "Indeed, 'tis a great boon t'be bloody well ambidextrous. I've 'ad me own share o' injuries t'me jolly right paw, an' learnin' t'fight with me left was the best flippin' decision I ever made, weaponry-usage-wise."

He straightened out of his stance, snorting at the remarks of Saxifrage. "Right terrors, ol' beast," the 'dashing, sandy corporal' agreed. "I imagine ye gave yore dear ol' mum some gray furs in ye stride as well, eh, wot? But ye are right," Cordin went on, addressing the trainees now, "Size doesn't bloody matter on the battlefield. I've seen hares 'alf me own size take down foxes an' stoats near as big as ol' Sax, wot?"

"Weel mah friend, shaa we whip 'em roon th' hall, or lit 'em whip each other?"

Cordin stroked his chin in thought, making sure the three young ones took notice of his devilish grin. "I dare say t'won't do 'em any good t'whip each other," he decided. "We ought t'teach 'em 'ow t'whip each other proper, wot, wot?" He twirled his halberd, still holding it in his left paw, gold eyes flashing at the big twins. "Your move, doppelgängers."